Challenge: The Fool with the Surname Okayamine

Chapter 150, Part 7: "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl" (Part 2)

"I hope to see her again..."

"Tomorrow, the Commander will be able to trample me under his feet!"

After Ming and Shen Wuyue finished signing their wish slips and said goodbye, I was drawn to the dazzling array of food at the stall next to the wish slips.

Wow, shaved ice is definitely a perfect match for summer! But, what if there are assassins? Specialty bread? It's just cake shaped like bamboo leaves, right? Does that really increase the price of the cake?

Ming muttered to himself that although he wasn't short of money, he didn't know why he felt compelled to complain when he saw Qixi Festival special products with added prices due to their special meanings.

"Ah~ Shido-san, look!"

Suddenly a voice reached Ming's ears. He turned around and saw Shido and Kurumi, who had just arrived at the place to write their names.

Kurumi lifted Shido's hand and spoke to him in an incredibly intimate tone:

"This is a rare opportunity, why don't we write them together?"

Shido smiled and nodded, then walked with Kurumi towards the place where they could write their wishes.

Ming watched their intimate interaction and a complex emotion welled up inside him.

"This clone that was moved by Shido on the rooftop is really something. It sneaks off to date the boy it likes behind the back of the original, knowing the consequences of being discovered, and it still dares to do it... Feelings are such an unpredictable thing."

Ming commented this while eating the shaved ice in his hand.

In Ming's eyes, whether it's Kurumi or the clone she created from the past timeline, they are all Sawa's classmates from her youth.

Therefore, I will not interfere with the choices of my clones, nor will I help Kurumi's clones stop Kurumi from being erased. As long as I understand one thing—that I will not actively use or harm Kurumi—that is enough to be worthy of Sawa.

Ming stood there quietly, like a statue, without moving an inch.

Just watching quietly, that's enough... I didn't even notice the approaching dusk.

"Alright, Kurumi, let's..."

After securing the tag, Shido turned to look at Kurumi, who was standing silently behind him. A trace of sadness welled up in the girl's once scarlet eyes. She lowered her head and did not answer the boy.

"Kurumi, what's wrong?"

“Shido-san, you said before that the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl would never forget each other no matter how much it rained.”

"Oh? Yes, I did."

"If I told you that even if it rains a lot, you wouldn't forget me?"

As the sun sets and the streets are deserted, it should be the time for couples to walk home hand in hand, whispering sweet nothings to each other and making vows of eternal companionship.

The atmosphere was quiet, yet some people were already homeless, and on their path of revenge, they developed feelings that led them into a dilemma.

Perhaps... sometimes it's better not to meet than to meet.

"Ah, of course, I won't forget."

After a moment of silence, Shido scratched his cheek with his finger and then continued:

"Besides, I can't forget a girl like you who left such a deep impression on me."

Kurumi's previously sorrowful face broke into a smile. She looked up, her eyes sparkling. "Yes."

The girl's face was filled with warmth. Compared to the evil spirit "Nightmare" that everyone feared, she seemed more like an "ordinary" young girl experiencing her first love.

"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly asking such a strange question? But aren't you on a short-term visa? If you don't want others to see the contents, I can go over there and leave for a while."

Faced with the considerate young man, Kurumi shook her head and then said to herself:

"Looks like there's no time left..."

As soon as she finished speaking, the atmosphere froze instantly, and a figure even appeared in the dark alley.

"Finally found you, 'I'. You certainly know how to act on your own, but that's enough for now."

Shido looked in the direction of that incredibly familiar voice.

"A clone that doesn't respect me will only be a hindrance, even if it exists."

"A clone...?"

Footsteps approached from the dark alley, and when the figure finally appeared, Itsuka Shido's expression shifted from confusion to shock.

What appeared before Shido was another Kurumi Tokisaki dressed in spirit armor.

"Long time no see, Shido-san~"

While Shido was still in surprise, the "Kurumi" who appeared from the shadows first lifted her hand slightly to the hem of her skirt and performed a standard ladylike curtsy.

"I'm so sorry, this incompetent 'me' has caused you so much trouble~"

"what is going on?"

"Oh my~ It seems Shido-san doesn't know yet, but my clone is my past, my experience, and that Tokisaki Kurumi over there is no exception. She's a simulated personality that I cut off at a certain moment, but that moment was really not ideal..."

"........."

"Perhaps it's a prank by God; that 'me' is the individual I was talking to Shido on the rooftop last month, an unintentional recreation."

The image of the rooftop kept flashing through Shido's mind. His eyes widened, and he looked at Kurumi, who was standing in front of him and had spent the Qixi Festival with him, with a shocked expression.

"Are you Kurumi from back then?"

As Shido spoke, the clone gave a bleak smile in tacit agreement.

"I'm very sorry, but I can't just leave these disobedient clones alone, especially the 'me' who's been swayed by Shido-san."

With a slight lift of his arm, countless arms suddenly extended from beneath the feet of the Mad Clone, pulling him down like iron chains. However, he had already resigned himself to his fate, knowing that no matter how much he struggled, it was futile. He simply looked at Itsuka Shido with deep affection in his eyes, his gaze filled with boundless love.

"Kurumi!!"

Shido rushed forward, trying to grab the clone's hand, but the shadow was dragging too fast and the distance was too long.

Finally, before this clone of Kyo was dragged into the shadows for execution, she said to Shido with lingering reluctance:

"Shido-san, I'm so happy today, I really want to hug you..."

When he reached the spot where his clone had been dragged away, Shido knelt down helplessly, staring blankly at the ground.

"Kurumi..."

"Killing the same 'me' twice isn't a pleasant thing for me either. That's enough for today. To be honest, I'd like to talk to Shido Sando a little longer."

Seeing Shido kneeling on the ground, Kurumi, the real person standing in front of him, felt somewhat helpless.

"Shido!"

"Get out of the way!"

Kotori, Tohka, and Yoshino arrived late.

They stood firmly in front of Shido.

"Kurumi! I won't let you touch a single hair on Shido's head!" Tohka shouted angrily, feeling like her home had been robbed.

"Still not learning your lesson? Running around causing trouble again? What's the matter? If you're willing to surrender obediently, we might be able to listen to your demands..."

Upon hearing this, Kurumi playfully spread her hands, "How scary~ There's a frightening fire spirit here today, I should have said goodbye... But, we have one too~"

As soon as Kurumi finished speaking, Ming jumped down from the tall building next to her and landed steadily beside her.

"Hey everyone, long time no see."

Ming, holding the Demon King in his hand, shielded Kurumi. Kotori and the others' expressions changed. If it were only Kurumi, they could definitely protect the road to safety, but if the Flame Beast was also added…

"Flame Beast, how come you're with Kurumi!" Tohka glared angrily.

"Whom I stand on is my own business, it's none of your concern. I'm happy to do it."

"It's alright, there are only two of them, while we have three elves. The advantage is on our side!"

"Oh? What if I said it's five against three?"

As soon as he finished speaking, two clones fired their guns, and shadow bullets rushed toward Shido from different directions, but fortunately Tohka reacted in time to block them.

"Open the seal, Lord!"

As the sound rang out, the sound of a key turning also came from behind Shido. They instinctively looked over and saw an angel wearing a black cloak holding a key, shooting out a pink beam of light and aiming at Shido.

"Ice Golem!"

The two-meter-tall white rabbit blocked the beam of light, but the smoke and dust still dissipated. Just as the black-robed elf raised the key to continue the attack, Ming called out to him.

"Let's stop here and go."

In the smoke, the three of them left the scene at the same time, but the battle, which lasted for less than a minute, was deeply imprinted in everyone's hearts.

"How could this be..."

"Shido, are you alright?" Tohka asked with concern.

"I am fine."

After answering Tohka, Shido lowered his head and recalled the three clones of Kyo, with whom he had spent the day, and angrily slammed his fist heavily on the floor.

'boom! '

Memories of today's date flashed through his mind, from the invitation he received this morning to the shyness they shared while taking wedding photos, and finally the touching moment of writing down their wishes. All of these turned into a cold, sorrowful flood that poured over the young man's heart.

“That clone already knew that even if she would be killed by the real Kurumi, she still chose to meet me. For these few short hours of memories, she had to go against her own will…”

In a daze, Shido, reminded by Tohka, saw the short note left behind by "Kurumi" and walked over to pick it up in a dejected manner.

"This is……"

As if struck by lightning, a thought flashed through Itsuka Shido's mind, making his heart race and his breathing quicken.

Without thinking twice, he rushed toward the building next door as fast as he could, like a madman.

Finally, panting, he climbed to the top of the building.

However, when Itsuka Shido climbed to the rooftop to grab the bamboo next to him, it was time for either Shido or the bamboo to be eliminated. Of course, the bamboo won.

After Shido wrote the short note left by Kurumi on the highest level, he fell down like that.

Fortunately, Tohka was there and caught him. Even if he had fallen, his Regeneration Flame would have prevented him from dying.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Hearing Kotori's angry rebuke for his sudden climb up so high, Shido simply looked up at the short stick at the very top of the bamboo.

"But I really hope that wish can come true..."

As they spoke, everyone looked toward the short slip of paper, which fluttered in the wind and bore the words, "I hope to see Shido again someday."

"I will not forget, I absolutely will not forget!"

As the boy spoke, Altair, the star in the sky, flashed across the heavens.